Circuit closer



- w. BANIKA cmcum cwsna April 26 1927.

Filed Sept. 18, 1925 Patented Apr. 26, 1927.

-UNITED STATEfi WILLIAM :BAN'IKA, OF STAMFQBI), ONTARIQ, CANADA.

CIRCUIT GLOSER.

Application filed September 18, 1925.

This invention relates to circuit closers for indicators it"orindicating the intended changes of direction of a vehicle, especially onautomobile, and my object is to provide a device of this character whichmay be cheaply inainiitacturcd, yet durable and cilicient and which maybe readily connected with the steering apparatus of an automobile.

I attain my object by means of the con-- structions hereinafterdescribed and illus trated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1is a side elevation of part of the frame and steering; mechanism of anauto moliileshowing my device in position thereon; r

Fig. 2 a front elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 a. wiring diagram of my indicator;

Fig. t a cross section 01": my switch box;

Fig. 5 a section on the line 55 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 6 a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. at.

In the driiiwing's like numerals or reference 3 indicatecorrespondingparts in the ditli'erent figures.

1 is the casing of a switch box in which a spindle 2 is jonrnalled. Onthe spindle is secured a U shaped arm 3 having its legs 3 30 providedwith connectors at suitably insulated from the arm and being in the-form of rollers rotatable on the legs 3. These connectors are adaptedto form an electrical connection between one of the two contacts as Gand a third contact 7 which is common to the first two contacts.

Referring to Figs. l, 5 and 6, it will be noted that all the contactsare arcuate in shape and the contacts 5 and G are located at oppositesides of the switch box and are connected with the terminals 5 and 6respectively. The contact 7 is connected to the terminal 7* and extendsround the switch beside the other contacts but is insulated in 4:- anysuitable manner from them. This is preferably accomplished by providinga block 8 of insulating material having arcu ate slots 9 thereinadaptedto receive the connectors l. The walls of the slots are 5 groovedout to receive the arcuate contacts which are of substantially the sameradius so that by revolving the spindle 2, and thus the arm 3, in eitherdirecton, a connector 4 will be engaged with one of the contacts 5 or Gand the contact 7. A spring 10 connected with the spindle 2 and thecasing 1 Serial No. 57,182.

tends to normally maintain the connectors 4t out of engagement with allthe contacts.

On the outer end of the spindle is secured a lever 11 which is connectedwith a suitable part of the steeringmechanism of an automobile.lreterably the opposite ends of the lever are connected by means of theflexible connections 12 with the steering post 13. The switch box isremovably ear-- ried on a bracket secured to thelrame member M adjacentthe steering mechanism. The bottom 15 of the switch box is secured tothe bracket and has its ends bent over and inwardly directed to form asocket adapted to slidabiy receive the laterally directed ends 1 formedon the sides of the container 1. r

The indicating device 16 which is partitioned off to form threecompartments in which the electric bulbs 5, l7 and 6 are suitablycarried. The easinn is provided with glazed rear and front sides and theportions of each glass behind and in front of the ditlerent compartmentswill be marked to indicate Lott, Straight aheac and Right. This may bedone by coloring these portions to contrast with the portions in frontand behind the adjacent eompartn'ient. The bulbs 5" and 6 are c0nnectedby wires 5 and 6 with the terminals 5 and 6 respectively and theterminal 7* is connected by a wire 7 with a battery 18. All the bulbsand the battery are grounded on the frame of the vehicle and the wire 7has a. manually operated switch 7 connected internn-zdiate its ends sothat the bulbs may be cut out when desired.

The driver may indicateto a traffic ofiicer, whether he desires to turnto the right or left or go straight ahead, by means of manually operatedswitches 6 5 and 17" suitably connected to the battery and to the bulbs6, 5 and 1: The manually operated switches are carried on the steeringwheel, the switch It being connected, by wire 17, to bulb 1'4. Theswitches 5 and 6 are connected by wires 5 and 6 with wires 5 and 6.

The mode of operation, assuming the driver has turned the steering wheelto make a right hand turn and the switch 7 is closedisas follows: Thesteeringpostisparincludes a casing tially rotated to rock the lever 11and thus the spindle 2 and arm 3 which moves the connector 4.- adjacentthe contact 6 into engagement therewith and also with the contact 7. Thecurrent then flows from the battery to the bulb 6* and when the steeringwheel is turned to normal position again after the corner is turned, thebulb is cut out. If it is necessary to stop the vehicle for any lengthof time with the front wheels turned, the switch 6 or 5 is opened to cutout its bulb which otherwise would remain lit and thus run down thebattery. By operating any one of the switches 53, 6 or 1'? the driverwill give an indication which way he desires to go before the wheelshave been turned.

hat I claim is:

1. A switch including a casing having a block of insulation therein; arotatably mounted spindle, the insulation being slotted concentric withthe spindle; three arcuate contacts mounted in the insulation adjacentthe slotted portion, two of the contacts lee-- ing positioned atopposite sides of the slotted portion and the third contact being commonto the other two; a U-shaped arm carried by the spindle; and-rotatableconnectors carried by the legs of said arms and adapted to be receivedin the slotted portion, each of the connectors being adapted to engagethe said third contact and one oi the other two contacts; and a springconnected with the spindle and the casing to normally hold theconnectors out of engagement with all the contacts.

2. The combination with a vehicle provided with steering mechanism, of aswitch mounted on a stationary part of the vehicle and including threearcuate contacts ol' substantially the same radius and insulated fromone another, two of the contacts being positioned at opposite sides ofthe switch and the third contact being common to the other two; aspindle journalled concentric with the contacts: a U-shaped arm carriedby the spindle adapted to engage the said third contact and either oneof the other two contacts; and a lever secured to the spindle;

and flexible connections connected with opposite ends of the lever andwith a movable part of the steering mechanism.

bigned at Toronto, this 1st day of Sept, 1925.

WILLIAM BANIKA.

